


Thirty One Shades Of Fallen Leaves

by Bass_Line



Category: Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (Visual Novel)
Genre: 7KPP Fictober 2020, Any applicable archive warnings will be indicated in the respective chapter, Just a bunch of shorts per chapter, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 21,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26745406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bass_Line/pseuds/Bass_Line
Summary: This story is a series of shorts based on the Fictober prompts from fyeah7kpp on Tumblr.
Relationships: Arland Princess & Emmett, Arland Princess & Ria, Clarmont/Hise Pirate, Gisette/Jiyel Scholar, Hise Pirate & Wellin Countess, Jasper & Jiyel Scholar, Jiyel Scholar & Hise Pirate, Jiyel Scholar & Wellin Countess, Lyon & Lisle, Lyon/Wellin Countess, Revaire Widow & Jiyel Scholar, Revaire Widow & Wellin Countess
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	1. Rise (Jasper & Jiyel Scholar)

Rise and fall, rise and fall, repeat and rinse. That was the sole indication that Hong was still alive, that Jasper didn't have anything to worry about. He had work to do, but seeing the Jiyel delegate's chest rising and falling provided him some comfort. That perhaps she was okay, despite his observations during the past two weeks.

He held no attachment towards her, even displaying a silent distaste towards her lack of morals. Yet, he couldn't help but to worry over her, though it was mainly out of duty as her butler. He knew that she had been feeling poorly of late, her sluggish behaviour uncharacteristic of her usual energy that was tinged with heavy reluctance.

Jasper frowned, two deaths were already bad enough, he hoped that a third one wouldn't occur. He shook his head gently, it made little sense to murder the delegate in charge of defending Imogen, it would simply cause an even greater cause for alarm which would hinder everyone's plans. Unless Hong was planning to commit suicide, but given what he knew about the delegate, suicide was not on her bucket list.

He gazed at her sleeping form for a while longer, his eyebrows furrowed as he considered how different circumstances would be if Hong possessed _some_ morals. He could feel his posture stiffen as the sound of plates smashing to pieces was heard outside, nothing alarming, but he still had a responsibility to check. Sighing, he made his way towards the door, sparing one last glance at the Jiyel delegate before leaving the chambers entirely.

_'Good luck Lady Hong, may you be successful in your ambitions.'_


	2. Shade (Arland Princess & Emmett)

"Princess! Over here!" Emmett waved to Rose, who ran up to him, holding up the hem of her dress as she did so. He laughed, waiting patiently under the shade while the Arland princess ran up to him. She stumbled over a branch, and promptly fell flat on her face. He panicked, and ran up to his friend before any servants noticed that the second princess had fallen. "Are you okay?!"

"M-Mm. I-I'm fine." Rose sniffled, doing her best to not cry. She may only be ten, but she knew better than to cry in front of her only friend. Emmett was worried, not just because he had indirectly caused a princess to injure herself but also because his closest friend had hurt herself. "I-It's just a scratch..."

"Scratches can becomes infected! Hold on!" Emmett supported Rose and helped to bring her under the shade, dashing off soon after. Rose used the back of her hand to wipe away stray tears that were unbecoming of a princess. What would her parents say if they had caught her attempting to sneak out of the palace with her only friend? She didn't want Emmett to get in trouble, as much as she wanted to see Arland with her own two eyes. "Princeeeeeeeess! I'm back!"

"Emmett?" Rose looked up to see the boy waving a bottle of blue liquid in his tiny hands, and immediately paled. She knew what the liquid was, she had accidentally ingested some the other day and it tasted absolutely _dreadful_. "I-I don't want to drink it..."

"Drink it? Princess, it's applied onto scrapes and minor wounds! Why would anyone drink this?" Emmett asked, horrified by the princess's words. Rose blinked, her blue eyes widening with shock upon hearing Emmett's tone. They simply stared at each other, the boy letting out a loud gasp that nearly alerted the servants to the nobles' attempt to escape. "Princess! Don't tell me you-"

"Shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone! Father and Mother will be disappointed to know that I drank that before!" Rose pleaded, her pale face now bearing several shades of red as mortification crashed on her. "Please Emmett!"

"I-I got it Princess, you don't have to yell!" Emmett promised, using this opportunity to drip a few drops of the liquid onto Rose's scrape, eliciting a sharp hiss from the princess as well as words that shouldn't be repeated in polite company. Or any sorts of company to be exact. "P-Princess! Where on earth did you learn those words from?!"

"I know you're trying to help Emmett, but I swear to the stars above, you're-"

"P-Princess!"


	3. Weave (Wellin Countess)

Selena hated it, she hated it whenever people don't say things in a straightforward manner. She hated it when people misled others with their words, weaving fragments of truths into their honeyed lies. This was why she hated the nobility, almost every noble she met were the same. They were a pack of liars, save for Lisle and Penelope.

She liked Penelope, who always had a kind word to say about everyone (even the undeserving ones) and spoke with complete sincerity that it was nigh impossible to hate her. Lisle was a different sort of sincerity. Yes, as oblivious as she was, Selena could tell that the Crown Prince of Wellin was always on his guard. He wasn't really exempt from the nobles she hated, but she understood that the weight of the crown forced him to weave hidden truths in his diplomacy. She couldn't blame him for that, he was born into the title after all.

Then there was Lyon, who couldn't lie to save his life. No, he _could_ , but he hated speaking false truths. He always spoke whatever was on his mind, and spared zero effort to hide his disdain for those that had truly displeased him. Selena saw this first-hand when her beloved had met Hong, a... sort of friend she made at the summit. That aside, it was one of the many traits that made the countess fall for the duke.

Speaking of friends she made at the summit, she enjoyed her friendship with Ann, who was able to weave in adventure while discussing the tensions found between countries. Selena always looked forward to spending time with the pirate, be it over a game of Onvu, a series of pranks directed at Hamin, or learning how to dance gracefully while stepping on each other toes. Literally, Selena insisted.

Hong was a different sort of friend, one that she couldn't recall when did their friendship started. Selena was surprised at their friendship, Hong was _exactly_ like the nobles she detested, yet they were friends... sort of. Well, Selena certainly saw the Jiyel delegate as a friend, and in return Hong tolerated her presence as well as weaved lesser lies in her words and said what was on her mind more frankly.

"Countess, we're about to reach the harbour. So stop daydreaming." Selena blinked, broken out of her thoughts by the woman on her mind. She glanced over her shoulder, hazel-coloured eyes sharpened enough to form daggers that could easily spear the heads of a few men. "It's rare to see you using your brain."

"Hey! I do use my brain to reflect!"

"Reflect? What could you, a privileged noble, have anything to reflect upon?"

"It's precisely because of that status that gives me loads to reflect upon! For example, like how my encounters with numerous people and harrowing events weave together to form the me you see today." Hong rolled her eyes, not in the mood to listen to Selena's explanation. "Fiiiiine, where has Ann brought us?"

"We're here to visit Lady Ann's father remember?" Hong crossed her arms, annoyed at the countess's brief lapse of forgetfulness. The countess sheepishly grinned and turned back to the sea beyond her, screaming towards it. "Storms and stars Countess! Do you _have_ to ruin my hearing at this hour of the day?!"

"It's cathartic! Plus it's what pirates do!"

"I highly doubt they do so Countess, but whatever helps you to sleep at night."


	4. Gold (Jiyel Scholar)

Hong held up a thin gold bracelet, examining it with great interest. She was out shopping in preparation for the gift exchange held on the next day. She had gotten presents for most of the delegates she had interacted with, save for Jarrod. She wasn't going to waste a single coin on that brute of a man, not even being related to her sweetheart would change her mind.

She frowned as she held the bracelet, she had to admit that it was of excellent craftsmanship as well as taste. Yet it reminded her of the day she turned 18, when her grandfather gifted her a tacky gold bracelet for her birthday. The bracelet wasn't the worst part, that honour went to him wishing her to find a good man for marriage and to start a family. Hong didn't show it, but she hated people assuming that she would find a man and raise a bunch of kids. Had no one ever seen how she treated children?

"How much does this cost?" Hong broke away from her thoughts, she could always revisit her past afterwards. The merchant replied that it costed ten gold coins, which was well within Hong's expectations as well as her budget. She paid for the bracelet without a second thought, and walked away from the merchant. Jasper followed closely behind, speaking up upon noticing that the delegate was heading in the direction of the castle.

"Will you be returning to the castle Lady Hong?"

"I still have to write letters to Princess Penelope and Lord Clarmont."

That was true, she needed all the time she could get to write letters to the two mentioned nobles. Sincerity didn't come easy for her, no matter her intentions. Jasper nodded, respecting the delegate's wishes. Hong sighed deeply, the presence of the bracelet she had just bought reminded her too much of her grandfather's gift. She hoped that no one gifted her jewellery for the exchange tomorrow, the last thing she needed was indirect reminders that she was 'supposed' to marry a man.

Hong suddenly stopped, and went back in the direction of the merchants. Jasper was surprised by the unexpected decision, but nonetheless complied and shadowed the Jiyel delegate back to the merchants. There, Hong returned to the same merchant she bought the bracelet and carefully examined the wares. Her butler wanted to question her motive for doing so, but decided against it. He was simply there to escort the delegate, nothing more and nothing less. After a while, they had finally left the port with Hong much poorer than she initially was.

"Lady Hong, what spurred your decision to purchase an extra gift?"

"... No reason."

A lie, Hong had a reason to buy the extra present. It wasn't for anyone actually, it was for herself. Not because she felt that she had to treat herself after surviving a murder attempt, but she wanted to spite her grandfather. Hong had to restrain letting out a bitter laugh in front of her butler, no one needed to know that she was slowly dying anyways. Not even her butler. She made her way back to the castle, with the intention to compose heartfelt letters for both the Wellin princess as well as the Revaire lord.

_'To hell with you, dearest Grandfather. I don't need a damn man to be happy, and I certainly don't need to spawn a brat or three to achieve satisfaction in this life.'_


	5. Worn (Clarmont/Hise Pirate)

"You look worn out, did something happen to you earlier?" Clarmont asked the pirate, who let out a heavy sigh shortly after. He squeezed the hand of his beloved, giving her a small energy boost to face the remaining half of her day. "Come on, lay it on me Ann."

"Hell no Monty, I didn't invite you to talk shit about that damn Lord Blain. I came here to talk about nice things like the weather and your winning smile."

"Haha, I didn't know that your idea of nice weather includes a stormy one. Didn't you once mention that pirates loathe such weather whenever they're out at sea?" Indeed, thunder could be heard rumbling in the distance. Ann groaned, stuffing her mouth with mini lemon cakes that Clarmont knew she had a fondness for. Clarmont watched the Hise pirate bury her frustrations underneath a small mountain of delicious cakes, a tender smile forming the more he watched. "You're the love of my life, have I ever told you that?"

"Mmpgh?!" Clarmont grinned cheekily as he had successfully made Ann blush, it was actually harder than it seemed due to her ability to take most things in stride. She swallowed the last of her cake, her mouth resembling a dying fish gasping for water. "W-Where did _that_ come from?!"

"Hm? Whatever could you mean Ann?" The man asked, a tad too innocently for the pirate's liking. With a single fluid motion, Ann had picked up a cake and stuffed it into his mouth. He couldn't resist smirking back, and took this opportunity to lick Ann's fingers. "Thanks for the _delightful_ dessert my dearest."

Several seconds later, unrestrained shrieking could be heard from the parlour, startling a few servants as well as scandalising some conservative delegates within the vicinity.


	6. Transient (Gisette/Jiyel Scholar)

"Peace is a transient thing, do you not agree?" A casual comment made by the Revaire princess over tea, her voice as sweet as ever as she took a sip of the high quality Jiyel tea her beloved had gotten specially for that occasion. Hong delicately raised an eyebrow, acknowledging Gisette but choosing not to answer her. "Am I to believe that you don't have an opinion towards such transience?"

"I think I rather plead genuine ignorance than to have any opinion at all my dearest."

"Modest as always I see. Very well then, I suppose having you for tea is a delight on its own." Gisette took a careful sip of her tea, her eyes sparkling with amusement as the latter continued to ignore the comment posed to her. They consumed their tea in silence, before the princess spoke up once again. "Do you think that there's anything in the world we live in that isn't transient in nature?"

"You of all people know that we live in _very_ different worlds." Hong quipped, her hazel-coloured eyes narrowing as she tried to discern where was her sweetheart going with their conversation. Knowing the princess, it was most likely one of her attempts to figure out where her loyalties laid when it came to Revaire's troubles. It wasn't her first time anyways, they had a similar conversation before the Welcome Feast.

"A fair point indeed my dearest." Gisette smiled charmingly, far too charmingly for Hong's liking. The Jiyel delegate replied by bobbing her head, secretly pleased that she had annoyed the Revaire princess.

Even if Hong wanted to be honest about her opinions (which she would _never_ do so especially around her sweetheart), it wasn't as if it was an entirely palatable viewpoint for most. She was aware that most people tended to shelf certain actions as being ethical and actions that didn't benefit their narrow-minded views as immoral, and she disliked the constant need for justification. Who gave anyone the right to determine that an action is right or wrong? Under whose definition is someone ethical or not? There wasn't a right or wrong answer in the world, those two terms only existed to justify the motivations of the irresponsible to begin with.

Morals to Hong were transient, and her preference to be deemed immoral was simply an easier way to retain _some_ form of permanence in a world that prided itself for being unique and everlasting in their own ways. Unlike her sweetheart, Hong truly believed that everything in their existence was transient, morals, peace, war, love, _everything_. She wondered why did she allow herself to both with the petty games everyone seemed to be playing, why did she bother with preserving her life when it's just as transient as a fleeting thought, why did she allow herself to fall so _so_ hard for the Revaire princess.

_'Nothing in this world has permanence, not even my love for Gisette, not her affections for me, and certainly not the supposed peace we're working towards...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The closest term used to describe Hong's thoughts is moral nihilism... I guess? It's not really the correct term to be exact, but the closest term that can sum up Hong's current thoughts.


	7. Exalt (Revaire Widow)

Are you sure about this Willow?" Hazel asked her older sister, who nodded with resolution. Willow was sure about her decision to marry the Baron of Namaire, she _had_ to. She had to marry a man she could never love in order to save her family from debt, there was no other way around it. They were also nobility themselves, but by marrying someone of higher rank would exalt them to ranks they could never dream of. "You know about his reputation right? You don't have to go through this."

"Even if I want to back down, it's already too late for me. I've already convinced him why he should marry _me_ out of all of the women that flocked to his side." Willow sighed with resignation, of course she knew what she was getting into the moment she presented her argument on why she was the best candidate to marry the cruel baron. Hazel bit her lip, she wanted to get a job and help the family but couldn't. She knew that _she_ should be the one to marry the baron, given her youth in comparison to her older sister. "Don't worry so much about me, I can handle it."

"It's not about whether you can handle it or not, it's the fact that he's the worst kind of man to even marry."

"What do you expect me to do then Hazel? Look at us, only Violet is able to get a job and what is she working as? She's working at a damn cemetery, burying courtiers of old blood as well as the numerous enemies of the court. And the best part? She's not even paid more than ten gold a day for all the bodies she had to bury!" Willow snapped back, she knew that marrying the baron was one of the worst things possible, but what was she meant to do? She was desperate, and there were no other avenues of employment for nobles that were at the verge of losing their status.

"... Sorry. I know it's been hard on you, and I'm sorry for not sounding grateful."

"It's alright, I know you're just worried." Willow didn't hold it against her sister, she was right to be concerned. She ruffled her sister's brown hair fondly, reassuring her that everything would be fine. It _had_ to, if she wanted to drag her family out of their crippling debt. Hazel said nothing, scowling at a nearby portrait of their parents, smiling down at them. She scoffed back at the portrait, while Willow made a deliberate attempt to ignore the painted gazes of her parents. "The wedding will be in a week."

"Didn't you say that it was in two weeks time?"

"Hawthorne... he overheard Father discussing financial matters with Count Ladrien last night."

"That bastard!"

"Hazel! He's still our father, no matter... no matter how much he... no, _they_ do it." Hazel growled, suddenly standing up and storming off. Willow could only watch as her sister left the decaying parlour, firm footsteps an indication to the fury building up within her. Willow shook her head, staring out at the fractured window and watched as the snow piled up. _'It's all for them Willow, you can't afford to back out now. Not when you've come this far...'_


	8. Reticence (Lyon/Wellin Countess)

Selena stared at Lyon, who was engrossed with reading a book. Exactly what kind of book was lost on her, but she assumed that it was about some treaty or something related to academics. She couldn't help but blush upon seeing the usually reticent duke smiling with child-like glee as he flipped to the next page, the sight of the man she held affections for enjoying his hobby was enough to send her heart racing.

Lyon didn't notice that the countess was observing him, so much so that when he head the sound of books being moved, he was gravely startled by her presence and nearly let out a shout of surprise. Selena didn't look perturbed, and grinned while giving the duke a friendly wave. Lyon huffed, admonishing her for scaring him.

"You're the last person I would expect at this summit to be so easily frightened!" Lyon glowered at the countess, the latter not minding the less than warm reception. He eventually sighed, reluctantly engaging in a conversation with the tomboyish countess.

"What exactly are you doing here Countess? I highly doubt you're able to finish that novel I recommended to you within two days."

"That's true, and I'm here to be your personal stalker!" Lyon paled at the comment, the last thing he needed was memories of being stalked back in Jiyel. Despite being a country well-known for its emphasis on rationality, the women there were the exact opposite of such emphasis when it came to wooing the duke. He shuddered, one woman had successfully broken into his personal library three years ago and that left an impact on him ever since. "I'm kidding Lyon."

"I should hope that's the case."

"Obviously! I've my own fair share of idiots chasing after my hand in marriage back in Wellin, they were so bloody annoying." Selena then regaled the duke about how she managed to fend her suitors off, some quite literally. He couldn't help smiling at the stories told, many seemed to sound straight out of a fiction novel aimed for children. She smirked upon noticing the faint smile on Lyon's face, relieved that he had calmed down somewhat. "Anyways, sorry for alarming you earlier. Stalkers are a major pain in the arse lemme tell you, and no one deserves to be subjected to them."

"And here I was expecting you to hope for such a fate for Lord Blain."

"Yeesh, he's the only guy that will _actually_ be delighted to have people stalking him. No, if I have to curse him with an ill fate, it would to _never_ have someone obsess over him like what we unfortunate desirable dating material have to experience!"

"A shame indeed, but isn't this another purpose of the summit? To find a befitting match to spend the rest of your life with?"

"Oh please, we both know that the summit's purpose is for us to read to our heart's content." Lyon's lips quirked upwards, more sincere than the ones he usually gave. "Not to chase you away Lyon, but has any of your stalkers told you that you've a beautiful smile?"

"Not really, then again I managed to escape from them before they could finish their insane displays of obsession." Lyon replied, considering the countess before him. He didn't know whether it was simply a trick of the light, but Selena looked better than she usually did. Lyon was fairly sure that it wasn't due to makeup, apparently the countess had such strong distaste for them that she threw them out of the window. "... You know Countess, your company being tolerable is... actually outside of my expectations for you."

"Tolerable huh? That's the best compliment I could ever hope to receive from you! By the way Lyon, are you eating dinner in the dining hall? Or are you gonna have it in the library?"

"... It's already time for dinner?" Lyon blinked, the last time he checked, it was around late morning. Selena groaned, crossing her arms while Lyon made an effort to put down the book he had recently became enamoured with. "... Very well, even _I_ know that I need sustenance."

"You sure? Because I remember during the first week you thought that I would just ditch you-"

"Will you accompany me for dinner then?" Lyon asked bashfully, adjusting his glasses as though he had merely made a remark on the weather. The countess gaped at him, not expecting such forthrightness from the reticent duke. He cleared his throat, becoming acutely aware that he had stunned Selena. "It's... just that you're the most intelligent person at the summit whose presence I find tolerable, and I would merely wish to discuss your opinion on a few academic matters over a meal. Nothing more to it, I assure you."

"I don't know about academic stuff, but if you wanna discuss whether fish is better than chicken, then I'm all for it."

"... I'm starting to regret making an effort to partake in these... social frivolities."


	9. Renown (Penelope)

She was renowned for her kindness and sincere goodwill, not just in Wellin, but throughout the seven countries. Even she knew that her reputation preceded her, but she didn't like it. She didn't like how she had cultivated a reputation of being kind, it seemed to her as if being kind wasn't something that everyone would do. She always felt uncomfortable when people lavish endless praises on her, commenting on how she was such a kind-hearted person and the like.

She liked helping others without expecting anything in return, in a way, it was supposed to be a duty of a human being. Be kind to others so that the world would be a much happier place, that way everyone else would be happy. She didn't understand why others wouldn't do the same. It could simply be helping someone up after a nasty fall, or even offering to pour a goblet of wine. Why does everyone praise her for something that was considered basic decency?

She didn't like being pressured, and as years went by, she was starting to strain under the pressure of her reputation. There were times that she wanted to lash out, that she didn't want to offer a noble a refill or offer a handkerchief when a servant was homesick. But she couldn't, it just wasn't the right thing to do. She couldn't leave them in the lurch, it simply wasn't the right thing to do.

Her brother had reassured her numerous times that it was okay to take a step back and not constantly care for others, but she knew that it was impossible given her reputation. Being renowned for her kindness meant that it was a lifelong duty to care for others before herself, to lend a shoulder when noblewomen felt out of their element during the summit, or when her brother was in trouble with regards to the constant attention from women he had gotten. It wasn't something that she could simply 'take a step back' from.

Five weeks into the summit, and she felt unimaginably tired. It wasn't the kind of tiredness resulting from a lack of sleep, she knew that she had been sleeping very well at Vail Isle. Except for the fourth week, but to be fair to her, she was decided to be part of the jury for a murder. She was so tired of everything, she could feel her energy being sapped away from her body every time she helped someone. She didn't know why everything was starting to feel so hollow, why she wanted to sleep for days on end and not interact with anyone. To counter the effects, she drank as much herb tea as possible, especially ones made from herbs known for battling fatigue.

They didn't help, nothing she did worked. Waking up each day was starting to become a struggle for her, and she was overcome with worry. Not for herself, but for others. What would happen if she wasn't there to help others? Would they be able to survive the summit? Her brother had noticed her lethargic behaviour on the fifth week's Earth Day, and told her to just rest in her bed chambers. She refused, insisting that she had to go about her day. She was fine, someone who was renowned for being kind and caring couldn't afford to not help others no matter her lack of energy.

She had to be there for others, whether it was to aid others in their time of need or to preserve her own selfishness, it was necessary of her to live up to her reputation. At that point, she didn't mind that others don't perform their duties as human beings, that they weren't displaying simple acts of basic decency. As long as she was there for others, everyone would be happy. Even if the light in her eyes finally burn out, she can't stop. Not when the world was still suffering, not when there were still so many people that she had to brighten their days.

She was renowned for being kind, and she would continue doing so even if it ultimately kills her.


	10. Surrender (Clarmont/Hise Pirate)

Clarmont couldn't remember exactly when did he surrender his heart to the Hise pirate. He remembered being impressed by her courage as she saved Penelope by forcefully dragging her away from Jarrod, who was speechless at the pirate's audacity. He recalled how dazzled he was by Ann's quick wit as she peeled a fruit for him before his very eyes, how much he laughed after hearing her childhood story about stealing a goat, the relief washing over him when he observed the pirate pretending to not see the 'letter' Imogen had dropped before their dinner in the first week.

He remembered how she had led her boat team to victory, with him as one of the delegates being invited to join her team. He blushed at the memory of her joyous laughter as her long black hair fluttered against the wind, her green eyes twinkling at the challenge of beating Hamin at his own game. Clarmont's heart raced as she hugged him when victory was theirs, with her expressing her delight at boat racing with _him_ by her side.

He could feel his cheeks heating up at that memory, that was most likely the event that made him realise that Ann was the sort of girl he could imagine making the world a better place with. Then there was last night's midnight picnic that he was invited to along with many others, with him expressing admiration at the pirate's ability to persuade Cordelia to attend such an event. He was further impressed when she managed to control the drunk attendees, especially Hamin and Zarad before they were yelled at. He chuckled at the memory, they were lucky that they didn't wake Master Jorges for the lord had heard stories from the servants that he slept without his pants on, and he knew that was amusing as the sight was, he didn't want to traumatise the more conservative attendees.

Clarmont slicked back his hair, drumming his fingers against his thighs impatiently as he waited for the Matchmaker to announce the approved matches. He was thrilled when Ann had invited him personally to have tea prior to the midnight picnic, and he knew that he was the happiest he had ever been when she confessed that he held a special place in her heart. He snuck a glance at the pirate, who noticed and smirked back knowingly. His heart fluttered at the sight, and he risked combusting upon witnessing her lips moving to form a string of unsaid words.

He had to restrain himself, at least until the Matchmaker made her announcement. Grimacing, he mouthed back his reply to the pirate, internally chuckling as her green eyes widened with embarrassment.

_"I love you too Ann."_


	11. Hidden (Revaire Widow & Wellin Countess)

Someone once told Selena that everyone had something they kept hidden away from prying eyes, be it a precious heirloom or a scandalous secret that would ruin them. The countess disagreed with them, proudly declaring that she had nothing to hide away, tangible or not. She believed that those who hid away the intangible were nothing more than liars, how much she was proven wrong when she arrived at the summit.

Within a few weeks, she had met multiple people who had secrets hidden away, with most of them being genuinely good people. Her belief didn't really waver despite meeting them, until she met a certain Revaire delegate at the cliffs. Her bones chilled upon locking eyes with the delegate's crystal blue ones, suddenly very aware that if the rumours painted her to be the murderous widow she was, she would be another one of her victims.

"Countess of Holt, we finally meet. Lisle and Penelope have said many good things about you."

"And you're..." Her words died in her mouth, Selena wasn't sure if she should finish her sentence. Despite her lack of tact, even _she_ knew that addressing the Revaire delegate as 'the murderous widow' was a terrible idea. Still, she couldn't recall her title, she had slept through the later half of introductions held during the first week after all.

"Baroness of Namaire, though that's simply a courtesy title since my husband has... passed on."

"Oh uh, yeah. I heard." Selena cursed her lack of eloquence, _of course_ everyone knew that the Baron of Namaire had passed on for at least six months. There were rumours lurking everywhere, it took a great deal of effort to be oblivious to them. The delegate smiled politely, making her way towards the countess. "Uh... nice weather today?"

"You don't have to be so stiff Countess, I'm perfectly aware of the rumours about me."

"Wait, so they're really _just_ rumours?"

"... Regardless of their nature, they're long out of my hands." The delegate replied wryly, brushing her winter coat calmly. Selena gulped, she knew she could easily beat her in a fight. Yet there was something about the delegate that immobilised her, a feeling that she was starting to dislike. "You're a very straightforward person, do you realise that?"

"There's nothing wrong with facing obstacles head on, a fair fight is much more honourable than all these weaving you nobles like to do."

"I agree, but humans... humans are all weavers, it's in their blood. The environment simply serves to amplify or mute it, that's all." The delegate replied, her honesty taking Selena aback. From what she knew about the Revaire delegates, it was that majority of them were manipulative and out to ruin others. Except for Clarmont, but even _he_ was manipulative, just in the more righteous sense. "You don't belong at the summit."

"Excuse me?!"

"Oh, forgive me. I meant that your straightforward nature puts you at a disadvantage at the summit, nothing more." Selena mulled over the delegate's seemingly sincere warning, and back to a conversation she had with Hong while taking a break from building the theatrical sets. Her grey eyes widened in recognition as she finally understood the scenario the Jiyel delegate had posed to her back then.

"... You murdered him because he abused you, didn't he?" The delegate's posture stiffened, her eyes darting about with nervousness and fear. The countess knew that she had got it right, though she was now suspicious to _how_ Hong knew about the truth when there wasn't a single rumour about the widow being abused by her late husband. "I don't get it, why hide the truth? You're making everyone think that you're some cold-blooded murderer."

"Countess... you must understand that the game played by us nobles is more delicate than you can ever imagine. I'm... my apologies, I have a prior engagement. Please do excuse me." The delegate ran past Selena, leaving the countess alone at the cliffs to stare in confusion at the retreating figure. She didn't get it, she didn't understand what was everyone's deal with the hiding and manipulations. If it was her, she would clear her name. So why didn't the widow?

_'I'm really better off being born across the border, I'm sure such nuisances don't exist in Skalt...'_


	12. Temperate (Wellin Countess)

Holt was within Wellin's temperate region, hence why it was able to produce majority of Wellin's fruit exports. When Selena's father died and the lands were passed to her, she assumed that she would be able to live out her days in comfort while providing for the people within the province. For the first few months she did, until her servants informed her that she _had_ to spend time at the royal court if she wanted to provide for the people. She reluctantly did so, and counted the minutes till she was allowed to dash out of the palace and return back to the trees she used to climb as a child.

She marvelled at the servants' abilities to keep up with her, and appreciated their kindness as they taught her the ways to behave as a proper Wellin lady. Of course, that didn't mean that she sat still long enough to hear some boring lecture about the history of Wellin in relation to its neighbours. All she remembered was that Skalt was the opposite of her home country, and it sounded like she should've been born on the other side instead.

Even so, she managed well enough. A little known fact about Selena was that she was talented at managing finances, and that she excelled at ensuring that the province didn't use up its resources when it came to the crops they produced for Wellin's exports. Two years had flown past, and the countess was so sure that she could finally live out her days in comfort while spending the bare minimum of her time at the royal court.

She was soon proven wrong, when a freak storm hit Holt. She thought that the province could weather the immediate effects of the unexpected weather pattern, and according to her calculations, the province indeed had enough resources to last them for at most three months. Unfortunately for her, the freak storm never ended. Before she knew it, the crops that usually were ready for harvest in summer were all destroyed. The fields were all barren, and the province ran out of resources trying to keep it afloat.

Selena wanted to curse the weather for drying out the money she, her ancestors, and her father had saved over the years, and she was at a loss. It didn't help that other nobles, taking advantage of Holt's current plight, were pursuing the countess with increased vigour, hoping to completely shatter her resolve and be forced to marry one of them. She briefly considered it, but her steward suggested for her to appeal to the crown instead.

She balked at the suggestion, but as what was pointed out to her, it was a far much better alternative to being married off to 'a bunch of fancily-dressed buffoons'. So she wrote to the crown, making countless of edits to her letter as her servants deemed it to be, in politest terms, informal for the crown. Much to her surprise, the crown wrote back indicating their keenness in discussing the state of the province.

Once she arrived at the royal court, the crown had presented her with an offer. Selena was disgusted at the terms listed in it, unwilling to attend a boring summit in order to gain financial support from the crown. She knew she had to however, the people of Holt were far too important to her. Not only that, but she refused to let her father's lands crumble into ruins because she refused to sacrifice herself. She agreed to the crown's terms, while confirming with them that she _wasn't_ required to get married at the summit.

Once she had received the confirmation (though she suspected that they were keen to marry off the black sheep of Wellin nobility), she had packed her bags and set sail toward Vail Isle. She gritted her teeth, hoping that the delegates hailing from other countries weren't as boring as the Wellin nobles. She had the feeling that the Skalt warriors would be a delight to be with, and the Hise pirates would provide her with endless opportunities for adventure when she was bored at the summit.

She set foot onto the isle, staring at the castle that towered over her and many others. Regardless of her time there, one thing was for sure, she was going to have the experience of her life.


	13. Rehearse (Arland Princess & Ria)

"Good evening, I'm Princess Rose of Arland... no, that doesn't sound right..." Rose muttered to herself, staring at the mirror in front of her. It was almost time for the introductions, and she still haven't perfected her speech. The Arland princess thought that rehearsing a script she had written beforehand would help her feel more confident, instead it was the opposite. "The tone... I need to change the tone..."

"Oh, Princess Rose! I didn't expect you to be in your chambers!" Rose turned her head to the side, letting out a sigh of relief that it was simply Ria, and not Jasper that was at the door. The cheery maid smiled warmly, making her way towards Rose's bed. The princess turned back to face the mirror, the polished surface reflecting her worried expression as well as Ria's. "Are you alright?"

"It's just some nerves Ria, my thanks for asking." Rose casually replied, trying her best to smile to reassure the worried maid. Ria frowned, even through the reflection, she could tell that the princess was nervous about the introduction later. She steadied her breath and took a few tentative steps towards the princess, placing a trembling hand on her shoulder. "Oh! Was there something on my shoulder?"

"I-I... I believe that you'll do a wonderful self-introduction later, because... well, I've seen you rehearsing your script over the past few days. A-And... you don't need a script! I uh... thinkthatbeingyourselfwillsurelyimpresstherest!"

"Ria... thank you. I appreciate the encouragement, I only hope that the other delegates view my self-introduction in such light." Rose smiled weakly, unable to face Ria. Ria frowned at the sight of the princess's weak smile, aware that her words had no effect. Why would it? She knew that she was simply a maid, nothing more and certainly not worthy enough to comfort a _princess_. "... Is there something troubling you Ria?"

"Me? O-Oh, it's nothing really!" Ria grinned, hoping that the princess wouldn't be able to tell that she was lying through her teeth. In a way, she _was_ telling the truth, her thoughts weren't something a noble, let alone a princess, should concern themselves with.

Rose nodded in reply, not holding it against Ria for lying to her face. Why would a maid trust a princess from the most uptight country known across the seven countries? She didn't blame her for thinking that she was no different from the other haughty nobles found throughout Arland. All she could do was to smile at the reflections and pretend that everything was okay, that her rehearsals were enough and that Ria was being truthful. A knock was heard against the door, and they both could guess who it was.

"My lady, it's about time for the self-introductions."

"Of course, please give me some time to get ready."

"As you wish." Rose sighed to herself, fully turning to face her maid. She mustered up a confident smile, though it wasn't meant for her introduction later. Just like how Ria was confident in her ability to introduce herself successfully to the other attendees of the summit, the princess was confident in Ria's makeup skills.

"No time like the present, right Ria?"

"A-Absolutely!"


	14. Significant (Wellin Countess)

The year Selena turned 18 was a significant year, not only because it was the age that she was considered a legal adult in Wellin, but it was also the year that her father had passed. She remembered her father's final months, the weather being colder and more bitter than all the previous winters. She recalled was sickly and frail he was, yet he persisted and continued to manage to estate as well as the province in general.

It was of no surprise that when he finally passed, almost the whole province attended the funeral. Selena was sure that even some members of the royal court attended the funeral, though she didn't know why would they attend when her family avoided politics as much as they could. Thanks to her title being one of the few that could be passed down to women as well as being an only child, she was soon the Countess of Holt much to the envy of her male cousins. It wasn't easy, from her early days of running through the mud and escaping a few smitten nobles to dealing with finances and bluntly refusing the marriage proposals of opportunistic nobles who wanted her lands for themselves.

Still, she refused to throw in the towel and marry some stuffy noble who had less than ideal opinions towards how women should be treated. She would rather die than to let _that_ happen, and to prove her worth as a noble to the royal court, she worked harder in two years as compared to her first 18 years alive. Before she knew it, Holt was considered one of the wealthier provinces, and far wealthier than it was two years ago. Given that Holt was already wealthy to begin with, Selena's success said a lot. Just as quick as the province's success came, disaster soon followed in the form of a freak storm that wiped out both their crops and the estate's entire savings.

The month before Selena officially turned 20 was also a significant time in her life, for that was when the crown offered her the deal of a lifetime. Or as she preferred to address it, 'the demon's nightmare'. Within a week, she was eagerly shipped off to the summit, with most of the members of the royal court hoping that someone with eccentric tastes would be willing to wed the national disgrace. The countess scowled at those who were foolish enough to titter in front of her, and they would scurry off shortly after, bruises on their faces regardless of gender.

She stepped foot on the isle after a rather exhilarating ship ride, staring at the castle that towered over her and many others. She knew that there was no turning back, not when Holt was counting on her to force the crown to uphold their end of the deal. The moment she entered the castle, she knew that it would prove to be another significant event in her 20 years of existence.

_'Hey Dad? Since you're up there with Mum, do you mind watching over me and helping me out when I'm about to make a right fool of myself? Thanks Dad, love you.'_


	15. List (Jiyel Scholar & Wellin Countess)

"Hooooong~! I'm bored, can we play a game or talk or anything before I go mad?!" Selena whined, grabbing said Jiyel woman's hand as tightly as she could. They were currently at Ann's house, and it was full of raucous laughter as they welcomed the pirate back home. Ann's father was found at a secluded corner of the living room, avoiding the commotion while fondly watching his daughter mingle with the rest. "Come on, we can play that game again!"

"... And what game are you referring to?" Hong asked, furiously trying to shake the countess's hand away from hers to no avail. Selena had a bright smile on her face as she gripped it even tighter. "Ow! Countess, kindly let go of your hand."

"You know! The game which I listed a bunch of names and you used a word to describe them?"

"That sounds like an inappropriate game to play at a party."

"Would you rather outdrink Ann then? I know my liver isn't made of metal and neither is yours." Hong groaned, the countess had a point with regards to their alcohol tolerance. She glanced at Ann's father, who nodded politely as a form of acknowledgement. "Do you have any better ideas then?"

"Most certainly, though they certainly don't involve you." Hong said, wrenching her hand free from Selena's vice-like grip. She strode over to the other Wellin-native's side, with the countess happily tailing behind her. The Jiyel woman scowled at her acquaintance, a polite smile painted on her lips as she faced the man. "Good evening my lord, not enjoying your daughter's welcome party?"

"It has been a while since anyone has addressed me so formally, Raphyll would do around these parts." The man's lips quirked upwards, acknowledging the company of his daughter's guests. "Forgive me, but Ann hasn't really introduced the both of you. That girl's always has her priorities mixed up, but she's a good girl I assure you."

"Ann's definitely a good person! Since formality's already thrown out the window ever since we stepped foot on Hise, I'm Selena from Wellin and this is Hong from Jiyel! We're her best buddies!"

"... What the countess means is that she enjoys a very close friendship with your daughter, and she's exaggerating in saying that I enjoy the same intimacy as her." Hong coughed, rushing to clarify her relationship with Ann. She was fairly sure that Ann saw her as an acquaintance that reluctantly joined them on their travels. The man's eyebrows raised upon hearing that Selena was a Wellin countess, he had met only two in during his time in Wellin and they were courtesy titles at most.

"A countess from Wellin? Forgive me for being inexcusably rude, but are you perhaps a widow?"

"Nope, but my dad did die before I inherited the title!"

"My condolences for your father's passing."

"Meh, it's been two years Raph!"

"Countess! Mind your manners!" Hong hissed, subtly stepping on Selena's foot. Selena winced as pain shot through her body, with her jabbing a finger at Hong's back in an attempt to break free from the woman's foot. "Apologies, she's not... used to being polite."

"May God strike you down with lightning Hong!"

"You may be the Countess of Holt, however that doesn't mean I'm unable to ruin your life."

"Are you _still_ trying to act the villain you-"

"Holt you say?" Selena nodded, curious towards the recognition in the man's eyes. Hong huffed, releasing her foot and allowing the countess to recover from the pain dealt. "That would explain your title... Is your father Count Thomas of Holt by any chance?"

"You know him?!"

"We're... or I suppose I should say, _were_ friends. It would also explain why he had stopped correspondence with me two years ago..." Raphyll muttered, a bittersweet smile now present on his weathered features. "He talked about you actually, about how you were growing up to be the independent woman he and Lydia wanted."

"You knew Mum too?!"

"Absolutely, I attended their wedding too. It was kind of them to invite me, despite being... shall we say kidnapped by a certain pirate many years ago." The man chuckled at the memory, the wedding was the only thing more scandalous than his 'kidnapping'. He glanced over to where his daughter was, and smirked as she started singing the more she drank. "Would you like me to tell the both of you about how the wedding went?"

"YES! Did it involve herds of sheep like what Dad once said while drunk?!"

"... And this is my cue to leave." Hong was about to excuse herself but was stopped by the countess, who tugged her back into the conversation. "What the hell? This isn't a story an outsider like me should be listening to."

"Well, _I_ want my bestest friend to listen so that you can embarrass me at my wedding with Lyon!"

"Countess, you do realise that all we do is to sign a contract and recite personalised vows in Jiyel right?"

"Just humour me!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thing about me when it comes to one word prompts is that I usually just mention the word in the story, not actually write about it.


	16. Opportunity (Revaire Widow & Jiyel Scholar)

The self-introductions was the perfect opportunity to identify ideal candidates to form alliances with as well as to get a better feel of the personalities of other delegates. Willow knew this well as she made her way towards the grand hall, her folded arms hidden behind her navy blue winter coat. The coat had served her well, hiding behind the scar on her left forearm as well as her nervousness which was practically bleeding through how her arms trembled despite the summit being held well during the summer.

She entered the hall, with most of the delegates already present. There were a few butlers weaving through the crowd, serving drinks while they waited for the remaining delegates to arrive. Willow noticed a few delegates surrounding Master Jorge and quickly realised that he was informing the delegates of the order they would go for the introductions. She approached the portly man, who held out a small black bag in her direction. He then explained that the order would be decided on the stone drawn by each delegate, the number painted on it determining the order.

Willow nodded, and her right hand reached into the bag before pulling out a polished black stone. While her hand was inside the bag, she noted that there were few stones left, which highlighted that she was considered one of the latecomers that delayed the event. With stone in hand, she excused herself from the head butler and made her way towards a table. Now that she was away from the clamour, she opened her hand and examined the stone, a pleased smile forming on her face as she saw the number painted on it.

_'So I'm the last one to introduce myself... how fortunate of me.'_

Willow thought to herself, aware that her opinion wouldn't be shared by many. What most people would fail to realise that being the one of the last few to introduce themselves meant that they were able to shape themselves according to the preferences of other delegates. It was something she learnt as a regular at the Revaire royal court, and she would be sure to put such knowledge to good use.

Since the event hadn't started, she decided to use this opportunity to survey her surroundings. She grew worried when she noticed that an unfortunate Jiyel delegate was dragged into a conversation between Avalie and Grand Duke Woodly. From her observations before the Welcome Feast, the majority of the Jiyel delegates were at a disadvantage when it came to navigating social waters. As such she was greatly surprised when the delegate was not only able to hold her own against them, but genuinely impress both attendees.

She was further surprised when the delegate had glanced over in her direction, her hazel eyes locking with hers as she approached the table Willow was seated at. She took a seat that was two chairs away from Willow's, and frowned at the widow. Willow understood that the frown wasn't one of displeasure, but merely one to acknowledge interest at Willow's observation of the conversation the trio had earlier.

"You're different from the delegates of your country."

"... And you're pretty similar to the delegates from your own."

Willow had to fight a smile, it relieved her to see that someone from Jiyel (that wasn't Avalie) was capable of holding their own. She wasn't sure if she should be wary of the delegate seated with her, however she decided to take this opportunity to discern how was she like. A brief flash of guilt struck her, it was as if she was dragging an innocent person into the web of Revaire politics. She ignored it by smiling brightly, it _was_ the summit after all, most delegates probably had the same idea as her.

"Are you looking forward to the introductions?"

"And are you always this charming?"

"You don't strike me as the type to answer a question with one of your own."

"Oh? How could I not sate my curiosity after being lured over by your magnetic presence?"

The delegate coolly replied, though the twinkle in her hazel eyes told Willow volumes. At least, volumes of what the delegate _wanted_ the widow to assume. She quickly realised that the delegate was much more adept at playing the social game than most despite the subtle introversion seen in the way she gripped her sleeves, and that whatever she could glean from their rapid-fire questioning was a deliberate move on the delegate's part.

"You've such a silver tongue, I'm starting to think that you have ulterior motives in chatting with a _murderous_ widow like me."

Willow usually wasn't one to remind others of her recent widowhood, and she certainly wasn't one to explicitly paint herself in such a negative light. However, she had the feeling that the delegate knew more than she let on. The delegate smirked, leaning closer to Willow.

"Had someone else from Revaire not caught my interest, I wouldn't let widowhood or a bit of blood stop me."

"I'm flattered to know that I'm desirable even among the ladies, however I regret to inform you that your position of power is far too lacking for my ambitions."

"Is ambition the reason why a good girl like you is willing to be an Onvu piece?"

Willow's eyebrow twitched, her assumption that the delegate knew far more than she let on was correct unsettled her. To others, it seemed like friendly banter. The reality was that... well, Willow was fairly confident that the delegate wasn't out to hurt her, just that she had the ability to do so. She plastered on a friendly smile, choosing to express admiration at her manipulation skills.

"You impress me with your insight and manipulation."

"That sounds like high praise, given that it's from a Revaire lady like you."

"Everyone, the introductions will now begin!"

The head butler announced, with Lyon shuffling towards the stage to introduce himself. Willow observed the introductions, focusing on the more important delegates' introductions. Lyon was straight to the point, and while most people wouldn't be able to figure out what the duke was like, the tone as well as the way he made his way off stage said a lot about him. She glanced over at the delegate, and noticed that Avalie had taken a seat beside her. She heard Avalie whispering to the delegate that if everyone's introductions were like Lyon's, the event would be over in a blink.

Most of the introductions were pretty much similar, with Penelope's and Emmett's being the ones with absolutely zero motive other than to get along with the rest. Anaele's was basically a blunt declaration of her wish to kidnap a particular woman who had stolen her heart, exactly which woman was unknown to Willow considering that she had missed out the name. Zarad's introduction was just as flirtatious as expected, however he sent a sincere wink (which Willow didn't know it existed) in the direction of a female Hise delegate.

Then there was Lisle and Clarmont, who gave perfect introductions that were sure to increase the approval of other countries. This was especially applicable to Lisle, who was even more on guard as compared to usual. However, just before he ended his introduction, he smiled at Willow, a tad more genuine than usual. Willow smiled back, aware that it meant that the prince trusted her more than others, and that she had a better shot at being matched with him as compared to other noblewomen.

Cordelia's introduction was as predictable and formal as what the widow expected, while Hamin ended off his introduction by placing a rose behind the ear of who Willow soon found out to be the Countess of Holt. Speaking of her so-called competition, the delegate that Zarad had 'flirted' during his introduction was a mix between the two Hise royalty. She toed the line between formality and engaging, not a small feat even among the savvier delegates. Then there was the Countess of Holt, whose introduction resembled those from the Skalt delegation. Yet, Willow found herself being drawn to the honest introduction that was riddled with many mistakes. Those two would prove to be pleasant alliances, she noted.

Avalie's introduction was frightening to say the least, it was all polite nonsense, similar to Cordelia's. However, what differentiated her from the Hise princess was that the latter was genuinely formal, some might say stiff. Avalie, on the other hand, her politeness was merely a thin veil to hide her subtle insults towards most of the audience. Willow was sure that a jab was also directed at her, with regards to her widowhood. She glanced at the Jiyel delegate, who merely shrugged back as though to inform the widow that it was Avalie after all.

Willow was the most stressed during Gisette's introduction, this was due to her being an unfortunate member of the Revaire delegation and as such she was required to support their princess no matter what. She would most certainly be at attention, given that observing someone as charismatic as Her Highness of Revaire would prove to be extremely beneficial to her own introduction at the end. What truly horrified her was the way Gisette smiled at the Jiyel delegate, with the latter deigning said smile with a bored look on her face. From what she had gathered about the delegate, she was actually pleased that the princess had given her the time of day.

_'Everyone is a fool one way or another, but I never expected her to be foolish enough to waltz with the coldest danger present at the summit...'_

Willow thought to herself, wondering if she should be concerned for the delegate. Said delegate noticed Willow staring at her for a longer than normal period of time, and quirked an eyebrow up to acknowledge her. The widow frowned, Gisette was indeed a useful ally, but she knew that her favour came at a high price. Then again, given that she wasn't deterred by the rumours surrounding Willow, she had come to the conclusion that the delegate lacked quite a few morals, possibly all of them.

During Jarrod's introduction, not only had he swapped his turn with someone that was supposed to go way before him (Willow noticed that the Revaire prince was supposed to go literally _before_ her), he had painted Revaire in such a bad light that it was akin to encouraging other countries to invade Revaire. Willow wouldn't mind other countries knocking the current crown down a few pegs, however the safety of her siblings was of utmost importance to her and as such, she could only worry about the impact of Jarrod's introduction.

It was finally the Jiyel delegate's turn, which at that point, was honestly the highlight of Willow's night. During her introduction, she had successfully charmed the audience while sharing a personal anecdote that had made her day recently (Willow could tell that it was a complete lie). Not just that, but the delegate, Hong, had managed to manipulate the audience into expressing support for her seemingly reluctant position at the summit while educating them about an interesting fact about the summit's history. She was about to step down when Avalie asked her for her ambition at the summit, and Willow noticed a flash of irritation sparkling in Hong's hazel-coloured eyes. Nonetheless, the Jiyel delegate didn't skip a beat and answered Avalie's question flawlessly.

Willow was impressed at Hong's calmness, so much so that she barely paid any attention to the remaining delegates' introductions. Hong didn't glance over at the widow during the remaining introductions until it was time for the final introduction of the night. Willow caught her sneaking an indulgent glance at her, mouthing her expectation of an introduction worthy of observation. Willow deliberately ignored her, making her way towards the stage as she mentally rehearsed a script in her head after compiling all of her observations of the audience. She held onto the microphone, trying her best to radiate as much confidence as she could muster (which wasn't a lot).

_'Get a grip Willow, you signed yourself up for this. Remember who you're doing this for, you can't fail them now.'_


	17. Recant (Jiyel Scholar & Hise Pirate)

"Do you remember me saying that I plan to return to Jiyel after this voyage?" Hong suddenly asked Ann, who nodded as they made their way through the cluttered streets of Farine. Selena had decided to stay behind and mingle with Ann's crew as well as her father, also citing that her two friends should interact more often. The pirate nodded, greeting merchants as they passed them by. "With regards to that comment... I believe I should recant it."

"Why? You seem like the nerdy introvert type, no offence."

"None taken Lady-"

"Please, just call me Ann. We're no longer at the summit, you don't have to be so polite. I swear, you're worse than my father when it comes to formality and shit."

"Very well then, though I hope it doesn't extend to the countess."

"Meh, I think Lena doesn't really care." Ann shrugged, grinning at a woman whom she used to help out back when she was still a child. "Why do you want to take back your comment anyways? Isn't Jiyel the perfect place for people like you?"

"I used to believe that was the case. However, I've done some... reflection on it and I realise that I'm not content with merely living out my days in comfort with an endless supply of books." Hong replied, shaking her head at how stupid her words sounded. Nothing in the world was permanent, yet she was seeking out ways to make her transient life more enjoyable and worth living. _'Worth huh? Nothing awaits us at the end, so with this knowledge in mind, why am I trying to make meaning out of nothing...?'_

"So you're discontented with your previous life after having fun at the summit?"

"I doubt- never mind." Hong decided against telling Ann that she had nearly died thrice, one was already concerning enough, let alone three. Besides, the pirate didn't need to know that her sweetheart had attempted an assassination on her part. "I would say that previously, I was contented to follow the rules and adhere to them, no matter my personal feelings on those matters. It used to extend to traditions, until I expressed strong vehemence towards one of them."

"Really? Now you've piqued my interest."

"In Jiyel, when women reach a certain age, they have to get their ears pierced. That tradition is bloody redundant and I fail to see how _that_ is considered a tradition." Ann noticed the silver star dangling down from Hong's left ear, and raised her eyebrows at her comment. Hong noticed, and continued her explanation. "Women were expected to pierce _both_ ears."

"Ah, that makes more sense. How did you get out of piercing the other one?"

"By exploiting a loophole, they only said that women needed to go through the process but never specified the number of ears involved."

"That's a pretty clever rebellion on your part Hong, colour me impressed."

"I didn't tell you a story just to impress you."

"Haha, fair point indeed. So... you're now contemplating on whether to leave Jiyel because you're more willing to openly disagree with Jiyel traditions and rules?"

"... It's more of a dissatisfaction towards the uncompromising restrictiveness in Jiyel. Which is highly ironic, given that I thrive under restrictions."

"I don't think that's true." Ann commented, directly countering Hong's opinion. Hong frowned, waiting for the pirate to explain herself. "You were like a younger me when you boarded my ship, full of excitement even though you don't show it."

"That's..."

"Don't deny that at least, and you know something? I don't think that there's anything wrong with disagreeing with the way things are in the place that you've lived your life since you were born. That's called critical thinking, and if a native is thinking that the way things are run are shit, then perhaps Jiyel also needs to change. Everywhere needs some form of change Hong, be it Revaire or Skalt. Humans always seek out change, and it takes courage to admit that you want to change the bricks that you've been using to build your life."

"You're just as idealistic as Lord Clarmont, now I can see why the Matchmaker had matched the two of you together." Hong quipped, genuinely taking Ann's word into consideration. There were so many things she had to do, and little avenues to execute them all. "Suppose I really do believe your words, where else can I obtain these bricks you speak of?"

"Knowing you? Right here in Hise! You don't have to _actually_ hear the call of the sea to be part of Hise, everyone you see here in our capital? They either don't hear the call or lost it, and do you see us kicking them off Hise? You don't because in order to be a true pirate, you need a steady port that won't go away no matter how hard the winds blow. This is why Farian's the true heart of this rowdy pirate island we call home."

"Someone like me living my days in Hise? You must be joking."

"Ha! Sure, you and I don't talk much, but I know you're more than capable when it comes to slumming it with us! Librarians, teachers, merchants, this place can be your oyster if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone!" Ann grinned, slapping Hong's back heartily. The Jiyel woman winced, pain shooting through her body with every hit. "You can even steal some nice Hise charms for yourself!"

"I would much rather steal your ship from you than to steal a trinket I could easily purchase."

"See! You're already starting to sound like us Hise residents!"


	18. Passage (Lyon & Lisle)

Lyon was reading through numerous passages, all of them academic transcripts of the isle's laws. He wasn't supposed to help out at all, but he couldn't simply leave Imogen alone at the trial. A life was far more important than rules, and he would be damned if he let what was dictated to stop him from doing the right thing.

He wasn't sure if the defence would even use it, given her personality as well as her troubling lack of morals. However he knew that he _had_ to place trust in her, despite their mutual dislike for each other. She was the only one who could save Imogen from a cruel fate, and Avalie wasn't going to be helpful as a prosecutor. He slammed his fists onto the table, frustrated at the lack of progress in his search for something that could save the poor maid.

"Duke Lyon, are you alright?" Lyon looked up to see Lisle watching him, concern on his handsome features as the duke dismissed his presence with a wave of his hand. The prince stared at the books and scrolls strewn across the table, chuckling at the sight. "Forgive me Duke Lyon, I didn't expect you to be this messy when it comes to reading."

"Your highness, leave me alone. I have important duties to attend to." Lisle nodded, gingerly flipping through a book that had fallen off the table and was lying on the floor. His eyes widened as he absorbed the book's content, soon piecing together what Lyon was trying to do.

"You know you can't interfere with the trial."

"I don't care, a life is more important than all these rules. If I would be punished because I saved that maid, then so be it."

"... And have you found anything useful?" Lisle wouldn't readily admit it, but he was also worried for Imogen. It didn't help that his sister was one of the jurors, and was practically a nervous wreck. That was the reason why he had visited the library, to find a book that would help calm Penelope down. Lyon growled in response, irritated that the prince was bothering him. "Do you need any help?"

"Not from someone like you."

"That's reasonable, I'm afraid that I'm not very well-versed with academia." Lisle replied, graciously taking the comment in stride. He decided to resume his purpose, and approached the librarian on duty in order to find the book that he was seeking for. He was surprised when the librarian informed him that said book was currently with Lyon, and that it was most likely hidden somewhere in the pile. "Duke Lyon, I believe you have a book that I'm searching for."

"Sixth stack from the right, third lowest book you see with a red hardcover." Lisle nodded, pulling out the book from the mentioned stack. He was afraid that the stack would collapse on the duke, but to his surprise, it never did. "Now please leave me be."

"Very well, I shan't bother you any longer than necessary. And for what it's worth Duke Lyon, good luck to whatever it is you need to do."


	19. Flourish (Arland Princess)

Rose had always wanted to visit Skalt, mainly to see the flora that actually flourished at the freezing country. She had only read about it in books about Skalt, unfortunately the descriptions weren't enough to satisfy the princess's curiosity. Her parents condemned Skalt, citing that they were heathens who failed to recognise the presence of the one true god. She was sure that if Arland held such an opinion towards Skalt, then Wellin held an even worse opinion towards the tribal country.

Still, that didn't stop her from befriending Anaele. She initially thought that anyone from Skalt was barbaric, but she soon came to understand that it wasn't the case. Or rather, they may be lacking in etiquette but they certainly knew how to defend themselves. Rose had some difficulties communicating with the warrior princess in the first few weeks of the summit, but overtime she had managed relatively well, going as far as to impress some members of the Skalt delegation by conversing in the Skalt native tongue albeit heavily broken.

Rose had always possessed a fascination with Jiyel, the country where knowledge flourished and possibly the least corrupt country apart from Skalt and Hise. She wasn't sure if she could keep up with the Jiyel delegation while forming alliances, but thanks to her robust education befitting of an Arland princess, she was able to keep up with their heated debates and even exchanged notes about old Revaire literature (Rose was shocked at this exchange).

She was mildly intimidated by the Hise delegation, most notably Hamin. She had been dragged to a few expeditions involving the pirate prince, with her foolishly dancing on the edge of a parapet when exploring the forbidden wing. It wasn't that she was afraid of tumbling to her death (although it was true that she lacked the courage), it was that she was afraid that others would notice her behaving in a manner unbefitting of a princess. Hamin, on the other hand, was impressed and delighted at the princess's surprising grace, and had led her into a haphazard waltz on the edge.

During the impromptu dance, Hamin told her how the life of a pirate would be. That pirates thrived on danger and adventure, that pirates flourished the most whenever they encounter adversities, that pirates loved the thrill of a good chase. He ended the dance by twirling Rose, catching her before she could fall and smirking easily at the daring move. The princess could only smile back hesitantly, fully expecting Hamin to miss her by a fraction.

Then there was the Revaire delegation, and while Rose didn't like how bloodthirsty and manipulative majority of them were, she admired at how they all flourished when it came to maneuvering the social scene. A few carefully chosen words during a gossip session and an unwitting lady or lord would be spilling out juicy secrets for the Revaire nobility to gobble up and use for future use. Her father once told her that the ability to say little but get others to say volumes was a skill she needed to have, a skill that she unfortunately didn't have due to her sheltered upbringing.

Everyone that wasn't from Corval was fascinated by the secrets the country held, everyone except Rose. If anything, the country was associated with Constance's troubling letter, and that killed whatever little fascination the princess had towards the country of trade. Rose worried about her sister dearly, her only source of information on her well-being was through Zarad, who mentioned that in the flourishing pit of vipers he called home, it was hard for her sister to be truly happy while married to his cruel brother.

That worsened her worries, and it increased so much so that when she was happily matched with the third prince of Corval, she had chosen to plot his brother's assassination for the sake of her sister's happiness. Her parents would be devastated to know that their second daughter would soon be little more than a murderer, though Rose no longer cared about what they think. They still had her brother anyways, besides she had chosen to abandon her duty and follow her heart instead.

Rose stared out her window and at the sight below, watching servants entering and exit the castle as she waited to put the next step in motion. She sighed to herself, would Constance admonish her for forgoing her morals to save her? Would she lecture her for placing herself in harm's way? She wouldn't know, not now at least. All she could do now was to hope that once Aamir was dead, the country wouldn't investigate his death.

_'Don't worry sister, I'll do everything I can to give you the happiness you deserve.'_


	20. Totality (Revaire Widow)

"Willow! Look outside!" Willow groaned one morning, her youngest sister repeatedly hitting her slender frame as they begged for her to wake up. She grumbled in reply and went towards the window, staring up at the sky with wonder. She didn't expect to see a solar eclipse at all, while her sister was clamouring about how the sun was eaten up by a black hole. "We're gonna die!"

"No Holly, we're not going to die. This is just an eclipse, and this particular period is a totality. Hence why there isn't any light." Willow explained, reassuring the young girl. The girl frowned, sceptical of her oldest sister as she stared up at the eclipse.

"What's the big deal about a black sun then?"

"Eclipses don't happen often Holly, and it's hard to see one in this part of Revaire." Willow explained, turning her gaze away from the eclipse and focused on her sister instead. "Where are the rest?"

"Don't know, out? I'm gonna draw the sun getting eaten up by a black hole now." Holly declared, exiting Willow's bedroom and off to her own. Willow chuckled, and her smiled widened when another sister entered. The sister rolled her eyes, bracing herself for some teasing on her older sister's end.

"Get over it sis, it's been seven years now."

"But it's funny Violet! Holly said the exact same thing you did back then!"

"Shut up, Hazel wasn't any better you know."

"I know, I'm going to remind her later that she said that the sun became a black hole seven years ago." Willow grinned, while Violet resigned herself to her sister's teasing. To be fair, Willow was the only one who had any interest in astronomy. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"What breakfast? You know that doesn't exist in this household."

"I brought back some preserved meat last night, we can have a few scraps to tide us over until dinner."

"Oh those? Our dearest parents had gobbled that up for breakfast earlier, along with the last of our potatoes and rice."

"... Get dressed then, we're selling my gloves. Hopefully that would bring in at least three silver..."


	21. Opulent (Hise Pirate & Wellin Countess)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first did this prompt, I was expecting myself to write about Zarad since the prompt is pretty much synonymous with Corval's riches but the end result is... yeah.

"I'm glad I'm not marrying someone from Corval." Ann commented as she and her friends prepared to set sail for Wellin, with Selena helping her while Hong discussed the naval route with the ship's navigator. The pirate was secretly glad that her friends were pulling their own weight, though she wouldn't have minded if they didn't. The countess laughed joyously at the comment, she didn't have a high opinion towards the Corval delegation during her time at the summit. "You can't blame me right? Last thing I want is people thinking that I married into some Corval nobility just to have a chance to plunder 'em!"

"But do you _want_ to?"

"The thought may have crossed my mind... but it's not worth the stress, opulent weddings, and political navigating! The only kind of navigation I want to do is on board a ship!" They both laughed, they both harboured a dislike towards Corval in general, with the pirate's being more personal. "Are you going to stay in Wellin after Lisle's wedding or will you be heading to Jiyel to discuss stuff with the duke?"

"I'm planning to stay in Wellin for at least a month or two to settle estate things, all while corresponding with Lyon to how are we going to go ahead with the wedding." Selena replied, placing a heavy box on top of another. Ann hummed in acknowledgement, tossing the countess a length of coiled rope for her to pack away. "What about you Ann?"

"I think I'm going to use your status to gatecrash the wedding, hang around your place for a few weeks or so to stock up the ship, then I'm off to Revaire for a bit. Afterwards..." Ann trailed off, her hands clenching into tight fists as she steeled her resolve. "I'm heading to Corval. I'll break my mother out of that damn viper pit and bring her back home to Dad."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Aren't Hise and Corval still on fragile terms? The summit didn't do shit to help after all."

"I'm sick of seeing Dad crying himself to sleep every night, I'll break her out even it's the last thing I'll do. Fuck my life, Dad's health is more important than mine."

"And if you fail, your father would've lost not just one but two women he loved." Selena warned, trying her best to stop her friend from committing something she would regret. It was one thing if the pirate would live to reflect upon her mistake, but her survival wasn't even guaranteed in this case. "Isn't there another way?"

"No, this is the only way I know how. I was born a pirate, and if I have to die, I would rather die as one than to live to be a coward who didn't at least attempt to save her mother."

"God damn it Ann, then think about Clarmont! How do you think he would feel if he knew that you wanted to commit suicide?!"

"It's not suicide if I live."

"Well, the chances of you surviving is close to zero! Even a dumb countess like me knows that, why can't you see it?!"

"I just want Dad to be happy okay?! And Monty? He's probably better off with some other girl that isn't an irresponsible pirate who steals for a living!" Ann exclaimed, her deepest insecurities and worries exploding in front of her closest friend. Selena said nothing, she knew that she had said too much but refused to apologise. She never apologised for things she wasn't at fault for, and she certainly wouldn't change that. "... I'm just... sorry."

"Don't ever apologise for something you believe in Ann, it's admirable that you're willing to go through something that's so bloody mad. It's just... I don't want Raph to go through what I had to. It's plain sad, and if you've nothing to lose, you wouldn't stick around to see the seasons change."

"... Is that how you felt when your father had passed?"

"Kinda. I knew I had to take the reins though, Holt counted on me back then. I can't just... join my parents in heaven when there were others that needed me to be there for them." Selena admitted, she usually wouldn't show any vulnerability to others. Only Lyon had seen it, and it wasn't about her late parents. Ann patted the countess's shoulder sympathetically, not knowing what was the right course of action but unable to leave the countess alone. "... Thanks mate."

"I... I will still head to Corval, but... I'll plan my kidnapping more carefully. I won't just rush in without any preparation, I'll promise you that. And once that's over, I'll invite you, Hong and Clarmont back home, and we can have a celebration over my mother's successful escape."

"... You're too idealistic Ann, but that's kinda one of the reasons why being friends with you rocks."


	22. Survival (Revaire Widow's Sister)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to use one of my Revaire Widow's siblings for this prompt, in this case it's the second child Hazel.

Survival was of utmost importance to them, and they would do _anything_ to survive. Or at least, Hazel would. She knew that her other siblings were less reluctant to take extreme measures, with the most extreme measure being her older sister marrying the wealthiest noble in the area. Hazel knew that unlike her sister, she would never be able to get nobles to marry her and unlike her younger sister Violet, she wasn't able to be employed. Legally at least, she was able to land herself a job, just not the kind anyone from her family would support. Not even Willow.

She groaned to herself as she made her way towards a derelict building, a rusty metal door greeting her as she opened it with ease. She made her way down a spiral staircase, a matronly woman acknowledging her presence by addressing her. She joined a few other women, all not older than her. The woman proceeded to remind them their duties as well as the protocol should unsavoury customers come knocking.

They went towards the rooms they were assigned to, with Hazel taking the room furthest from the exit. In there was a cot that had seen better days as well as some supplies for her job strewn all over a small table. Apart from the mentioned objects, the room was barely lit up by a lantern hanging at one corner of the stone-walled room. Hazel grimaced to herself, if either Willow or Violet knew about her job, they would have her head. Literally.

She felt like a prisoner whenever she was in the room, there wasn't a single window found in the basements of the building. Not like any of them wanted one, the last thing the women wanted was to get caught by the unsavoury customers and dragged to the castle where they waited to die either by languishing in the pathetic prison cells, or to be beheaded. She opened a small cloth bag and consumed a green pill with a single gulp, the bitter taste barely registering on her tongue. Hazel didn't like it, but she had to consume it in her line of work. The last thing _she_ needed was to be burdened with an extra mouth to feed.

She made her way towards her supplies, preparing for her first customer of the night. She thought about Willow, about how she was doing ever since her late husband's death. Her sister refused to speak about the incident, but rumours were circulating throughout the neighbourhood, saying that the late baron was murdered in cold blood. Hazel knew her sister, and faithfully believed that her widowed sister did so to survive. That was their priority after all, survival.

She chuckled wryly to herself, she had warned Willow about marrying the late baron, but she insisted. She wanted to support her sister, she truly did. Yet, it was trying at times to do so. In a way, it was Willow's fault for going through with the marriage despite knowing how the baron was like. Hazel truly detested herself, her older sister went through a traumatic marriage and there she was, thinking that her sister deserved her current state.

She calmly mixed a pink powder into a bottle of cheap wine the woman had generously bought for her the day she turned 20. She examined a quill that was near the bottle, the tip sharpened meticulously until it was capable of piercing skin with ease. Hazel gently stroked the feathered quill, her blue eyes glinting with malice as a knock sounded against the door to her room. She sighed, smoothing out her silk nightgown as she welcomed her first customer, a greasy smirk plastered on his face as he reached out to rip her nightgown off her body.

"Slow down big boy, we've _all_ the night to play..." Hazel crooned, offering the man a drink of the spiked wine. He greedily gulped it down while she pressed kisses against his coarse skin, noting down the bulges in his breeches while she plotted how to steal his money and get away with it. _'Don't hold it against me baby, I'm just a broke bitch trying to survive.'_


	23. Costume (Clarmont/Hise Pirate)

"You look dashing in that costume." Ann whistled in Clarmont's direction, who smiled back winningly. They were preparing for the only full-dress rehearsal given that everything was so last minute, with everyone rushing about in either their costumes, props in their arms, or puffy clothes slung over their shoulders. The pirate narrowly dodged a delegate carrying boxes, sweeping her match into a dip while the lord laughed with delight. "Now I wonder what would our Arland friends think about a woman topping a man?"

"Highly scandalised I bet." Ann smirked, bringing Clarmont up to his feet without a hair out of place. Soon their conversation was brought to a halt by Avalie, who announced that apart from Penelope and Clarmont, everyone should be backstage. The pirate sighed as she left the dashing lord alone with his stage lover, not before pressing a soft kiss against the corner of his lips. Clarmont had a bashful smile on his handsome features, and struggled to remain composed as the scene started.

Behind the stage, Ann was rummaging through the forgotten costumes. She held up a silver dress, its intricate gold trimmings sparking the pirate's interest. She was keen on trying it on, even though she didn't wear dresses for practical reasons. Ann was about to sneak the dress off the scene, but was soon caught by a friendly face.

"Ann! Where are you going?" The pirate was relieved that it wasn't someone else that had caught her, she knew she would get an earful once people knew that she wasn't trying to be helpful during that particular rehearsal. "Don't tell me you're gonna sabotage that dress!"

"Shh! Don't jump to assumptions!"

"Sorry, though you were looking dodgy just now..."

"... Fine, I just wanted to try this on and to do so, I need to get out of here." Ann admitted, waiting for the countess to laugh at her. The countess simply beamed, happily dragging the pirate towards a mirror and shoving her behind it. "What the- Lena?!"

"Don't worry, I won't peek!" The countess cheerfully replied, her back facing Ann as she kept to her promise. Ann sighed, reluctantly changing into the dress. Once she was done, she tapped her friend's shoulder to signal that she was finished. The countess turned around and marvelled at the sight, showering the pirate in lavish praises. "You look absolutely smashing! Who knew you've such a great figure?! Oh, we should show Clarmont!"

"Monty?! Oh hell no, I rather have my ship cursed than to show him how I look in this dress!"

"Hey, _you're_ the one that wanted to try it on." The countess shrugged, moving aside when one of the delegates stumbled towards them. "Watch it!"

"Lady Dorothy, there you are! It's your cue!" The delegate panted, dragging a horrified Ann towards the direction of the stage. She begged for the countess to save her, only for the latter to give her a thumbs-up as well as the promise to cheer her on behind the stage. Ann soon pushed out and onto the stage, where Clarmont was. His eyes widened at Ann's presence, and even more so at the stunning sight before him.

"... My lady, you're breathtaking."

"You're not saying this because _I'm_ the one wearing it?"

"I meant every word." Clarmont smiled dashingly as he offered a hand to Ann, who accepted it without a second thought. Cheers could be heard backstage, with the actual Lady Dorothy being the loudest. Clarmont then led the pirate into a mock waltz, full of twirling and graceful dancing on the lord's part. "You lied about being horrible at dancing."

"How do you know that it isn't you who's good at dancing?"

"Because I'm too enchanted by your eyes to even dance straight." Ann laughed bashfully, the couple soon ending the dance with an exaggerated curtsey despite the encore. Clarmont chuckled, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "As much as I wish to continue dancing with Lady Ann, we should continue with rehearsals! Come along now, let's make this theatrical a brilliant one!"


	24. Impress (Revaire Widow)

Willow knew that it was important to impress the Wellin delegation in order for a marriage to Lisle be possible, as they would influence the Wellin ambassador's opinion towards their relationship. Her ambitions as well as Lisle's secret was riding on marriage, and if the ambassador said no, there goes their chance of fulfilling their goals.

She sought out the delegation, with four out of seven Wellin nobles being present in the parlour. This was within her expectations, with the royal siblings being the fifth and sixth members of the delegation and the Countess of Holt as the seventh. As much as she preferred the company of the absent three, she knew that the ones she had to impress were the Wellin nobles present.

So she approached them with a friendly smile plastered on her face, choosing to flatter them all shamelessly. After a few minutes of flattery, they were practically putty in her hands. She could tell simply by the way their eyes lit up upon hearing one compliment after another, in fact Willow found her delegation to be much more of a challenge. The Revaire nobles were able to sniff out empty flattery in an instant, and it took a high degree of manipulation in order to trick them into thinking that they were being genuinely complimented.

After impressing the Wellin delegation, she sought out the Corval delegation. Part of it was because she felt that it was beneficial if her family had some sort of alliance with Corval nobility especially since they were even _more_ in debt, how that was possible when she was technically a baroness was beyond her belief. Of course, another reason was to forge better ties between Wellin and Corval as a form of gratitude towards Lisle for not breaking off their match.

She had successfully found the entirety of the Corval delegation at the gazebo, with Zarad welcoming her with a flirtatious wink while Blain glowered at the prince's abundance of charm. Willow frowned teasingly, commenting that the third prince was bold enough to flirt with a taken woman. Zarad let out a languid laugh, replying that he was merely expressing his delight at the widow's presence. He invited both women to join them, confusing Willow as she had came alone. Blain grumbled at the sight of the other woman, muttering insults about her being too intellectual be considered a good match.

Willow sighed, glancing over her shoulder. Thanks to Blain's unwanted comment, she realised that the Jiyel delegate who had captured her attention during the self-introductions was behind her, a pleasant smile painted on her features as she approached the large group. Soon, they were all chatting idly amongst themselves. Or at least, that was what a socially hapless person would perceive the sight as. No, the reality was that both Willow and Hong were displaying the Corval delegation's secrets to light under the guise of innocent compliments and observations.

This had pleased almost the whole delegation immensely, save for Blain who was still upset that Hong had used him to make a joke about the toxic nature of Corval's emphasis on opulence. They were soon invited to one of the noble's cousin's wedding, with both of them accepting readily. Willow knew that in Corval, extending a wedding invitation to foreigners was an explicit token of admiration, and given that it came from the second most powerful noble present at the gazebo, it was an incredible honour that the widow couldn't afford to miss.

After a while, she had left the delegation alone with the Jiyel delegate, who clearly had personal reasons for continuously interacting with them. Willow didn't particularly care, she knew that she had sufficiently impressed the Corval delegation and that was enough for her. Her concern was the next delegation that she was planning to impress, which so happened to be Wellin's neighbour and enemy.

_'I just hope the survival skills I've picked up in Revaire will be sufficient in impressing those warriors...'_


	25. Berate (Hise Pirate)

Her father was generally a mild-mannered man, yes, there were times that Ann had argued with her father, but the arguments weren't usually serious in nature. In fact, she couldn't recall an occasion that her father was actually angry at her. So it came to her as a shock after her ship returned from her maiden voyage, her clothes caked with blood as she disembarked from her ship and onto the harbour. Her father was waiting for her, and instead of the tearful welcome she was expecting, she was slapped hard on her cheeks as he berated her.

She felt humiliated during that moment, how could her father do this to her in front of her crew? He yelled at her, berated her for being extremely irresponsible and many other aspects that the pirate tuned out. She was about to snap back at her father when she saw how grey his hair was, how much he had aged despite only being in his early 40s, how much tears he had shed upon his daughter's return. Ann then realised that he was scolding her out of worry, worry that she would encounter the same fate as his wife and never to return.

It was the first time she felt so guilty, that she had made someone she loved worry about her endlessly. So she did what she had to do, and declared to her crew that she would be forfeiting her captaincy and handing it over to her first mate. The ship was in chaos, everyone didn't want their captain to go. Ann stood firm, saying that her father was _her_ Farian, and no longer being able to sail the open seas was nothing if she could make her father happy. Her crew relented, insisting that regardless of what the future entailed, Ann always belonged to the crew whether she liked it or not.

The pirate grinned, wishing them good luck to their future travels as well as a reminder to a certain pirate to take a bath every once in a while. Said pirate joyfully flipped her off, watching with the rest as their former captain left the harbour with her father beside her. They would miss her, but they were sure that just like her mother, Ann wouldn't be able to resist the call of the sea for long.


	26. Risk (Jiyel Scholar & Hise Pirate)

Ann stared out at the night sky, the moonlight reflected on the relatively calm seawater. She sighed deeply, her conversation with her best friend in the afternoon weighing on her mind. She had to do it, no matter the cost. If her mother was truly dead, then there was no need to take such a risk. She was lost in her thoughts, failing to notice the faint creaks against the floorboards growing louder with every second.

"Ann." The pirate's name was called, and she immediately recognised the person that had called out to her. She turned around to face the person, a bright smile hiding her troubles. The person frowned, as characteristic of her. "Would you prefer me to get straight to the point, or do you wish for me the beat around the bush?"

"You're offering me a choice? Today must be my lucky day!"

"Straight to the point it is then." Ann waited for the woman to say what was on her mind, not expecting the following words. "I know a way for you to get into Corval."

"Corval? Now why would I want to visit that pirate-hating country?"

"I'm not deaf, I heard everything, including that delicious argument you had with the countess." Ann squinted at her acquaintance, she wasn't like the countess. She knew very well that Hong usually had ulterior motives, especially when doing something kind. The Jiyel woman was calm, as though she had expected such a reaction from the pirate. "Don't you want to save your mother?"

"How did you-"

"I know many things, I just don't usually bother myself with most of them." Hong shrugged, she really didn't. She didn't like to be swept up in the games of others, and only played some of them because she was forced to. Take the murders during the summit, she was forced to play thanks to her ill luck, and merely had the cards to win thanks to her wit and relationship with the Revaire princess. "I'll ask you once more, don't you want to save your mother?"

"Yes." This time, Ann didn't hesitate. Consequences be damned, if there was a way to enter the richest country, she would take it. The offer was also coming from one of the most meticulous people she knew, even if she didn't trust Hong in general, she could place her trust in the Jiyel woman's ability to cover all bases. "I want to save her."

"That's a delight to hear. I'm obliged to warn you that what I have to offer still comes with many risks, but it's definitely better than charging straight in with cannons at the ready." Hong warned, she knew that Ann's mother was behind Corval's heavily guarded walls, and in the heart of a labyrinth of secrets. The pirate nodded, she was willing to take the risk if it meant saving her mother. "Well then, you'll be pleased to hear that we won't be doing this alone. What was that belief you pirates have? 'A pirate isn't of much worth unless they have a crew behind them'?"

"You're willing to dirty your hands for me?" Ann couldn't believe it, what prompted the Jiyel woman to willingly involve herself in a distant acquaintance's private matters? She was now certain that there was a catch, the question was whether or not she was able to pay the price. Hong smirked, delighted that the pirate was overwhelmed with uncharacteristic kindness.

"See, this discussion we're having as of now is one of the many reasons why I find you much more intelligent than the countess."

"And what do I owe you?"

"It wouldn't be fun if I draw up a contract right now for your pleasure, do be reminded that I'm the one doing you a huge favour here. A risky one even, I could very well get myself beheaded if things go awry." Ann gulped, Hong was right. If things went wrong, they would be beheaded by the royal executioners. Corval was well-known for carrying out beheadings as a capital punishment, with Revaire coming in second. "Don't look like that Ann, where's that foolish optimism of yours displayed in afternoon?"

"You mean suicidal right?"

"I couldn't care less if you wanted to throw away your life over your mother, but please treat this... _rescue mission_ seriously."

"... Thanks. Really. You're not obliged to help me, and yet here you are."

"Don't mistaken my offer as kindness, I merely have something I want from you. With that being said, I bid you good night." Hong excused herself, disappearing into the night and below the floorboards. Ann was left alone with her thoughts, the moon providing dim light for the pirate to navigate around her ship. There were so many questions she wanted to ask the Jiyel woman, but she was sure that even the oblivious Countess of Holt could tell that she wouldn't receive any answers.

_'I'll break you out Ma, even if it's the last thing I do.'_


	27. Jubilant (Wellin Countess)

Selena was jubilant to finally have returned back to Holt. Even better was that she was in time to attend Lisle's wedding, which meant that she got to see Penelope again. She didn't mind seeing Lisle again, but seeing the princess was more of an incentive. She led her two guests into her estate, with her servants greeting her enthusiastically. None of them would admit it, but they had missed her rambunctious energy during her time at the summit and Hise.

"I'm back! Grayson, Leon, do you mind helping them to the two guest rooms in the west wing?" Selena directed two neatly dressed butlers to her guests, beaming as they nodded briskly and rushed to help the women with their belongings. Both her guests were visibly uncomfortable with the butlers serving them, with Ann being more obvious. "Don't worry so much about it! Just pretend we're at the summit, but your friend's the one hosting it!"

"Is it just me, or is it finally sinking in that Lena's much richer than we're aware of?" Ann whispered to Hong, who gave a curt nod as her token of agreement. A maid approached the countess, handing her a stack of letters addressed to the estate while she was away. "This feels _so_ unreal."

"I must confess Countess, your appearance has deceived us both to your apparent wealth." Hong spoke up, loud enough for Selena to hear. Ann hurried to shush the Jiyel woman, but was a few seconds too late. The countess grinned, waving about a letter from the crown.

"Right?! I think I'm _even_ richer thanks to the crown keeping to their end of the deal!" Selena joyfully replied, tossing aside letters that didn't interest her. The two guests stared at her, one with confusion and the other with wary. The maid alerted her employer of her guests' reactions, leading the countess to clarify. "Didn't I tell you ladies during that stormy night? I attended the summit because I went broke! And before Hong makes a comment about me being dumb with numbers, I'll have you know that it was a freak storm that wiped out all of our crops!"

"I wasn't planning on it Countess."

"You totally were." Ann muttered to the side, her comment not going unheard by the Jiyel woman. Selena laughed in reply, staring intently at a letter from an address she had never seen before. "What's wrong Lena? Another one of your suitors asking for your hand in marriage?"

"No, it's just... I don't think I know anyone from... 'Cane-ey-ra'?"

"Kaneara, and that letter is for me." Hong said, marching up to the countess and snatching it out from her hand. She blinked at the Jiyel woman's sudden irritation, did she assume that the countess was about to read Hong's letter? Why was a letter from Jiyel sent to her estate anyways? "That's where I live by the way."

"I don't recall that being the capital of Jiyel." Ann questioned, earning herself a glare from Hong. She shrunk under the glare, not because she was afraid of the woman herself. Rather, she didn't wish to offend the woman who was helping her to make her goal a success. "Anyways! I can't _wait_ to break the bed!"

"The late count has requested all beds within the estate to be made from Jiyel metal, hence it is near impossible to break." The maid informed the pirate, with both her and Selena pouting at the description. Hong nodded, Jiyel was known to export metal of the highest quality, with the quality being one of the many reasons to its military might. "... My lady, you know this."

"Hmph! I _will_ break my bed one day Katie! Mark my words!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaneara is pronounced as 'kah-nay-a-rah'.


	28. Query (Wellin Countess)

_'I have a query... no wait, this sounds informal. But it's better than saying 'I have a question' right? Oh for god's sake, why is writing letters to smart people so fucking hard?!'_ Selena crushed the incomplete letter in her hand and tossed it aside, her head muddled with words she would _never_ use in daily conversation. She growled at a nearby dictionary that she had been using while composing her letter to Lyon's family back in Jiyel, cursing at it. "What are you staring at you smart piece of-"

"My lady, may I ask why are you raising your volume at that book?" One of the maids asked, having entered the countess's room with the worry that something had happened to her. Selena grumbled, folding her arms and pouting as though she was still a child. "... My lady, you're no longer ten."

"I know that Lisa! It's just... urgh, sometimes I wonder what did Lyon see in me? You're basically my second mother by now Lisa, you know that I'm not exactly the smartest or the politest lady around!"

"True, but you're one of the kindest. And if your match is as intelligent as you say, then I believe that he fell for your sincerity and kindness. One doesn't need to be exceptional at the usual traits, sometimes a little kindness can go a long way. In your case my lady, it has gone a _very_ long way."

"I guess? But you've met my friends, and they're way better than me! Okay so Hong marrying Lyon's out of the question because they're both from Jiyel and they don't really like each other much, but they're plenty eligible!"

"My lady, instead of comparing yourself to others, you should focus on improving yourself. For they only put an individual on a stage for them to examine, never more. Simply focus on bettering yourself, and you can do all sorts of wonders."

"... Why is it that you always sound right?" Selena mumbled, ashamed that she had behaved inappropriately for a lady of her age. An _engaged_ lady to boot. The maid chuckled softly, excusing herself while wishing the countess good luck to her letter. Selena picked up the crumpled letter, resuming her writing with renewed vigour. _'I can do this, I've embarrassed that idiot Lady What'shername for pinning her misdeeds on me, what even is a damn letter?'_


	29. Yearn (Hise Pirate)

Ann yearned to see her mother again, and she felt guilty that her yearning was much stronger than her desire to see Clarmont. He was across the border, or at least somewhere in the country across the border. The pirate sighed wistfully to herself, she was starting to doubt herself. She was just a mere pirate who grew up under the shadow of her mother's legacy, and if she could be honest to herself, she wasn't entirely ready to leave behind the two men she cared for.

Even so, she desperately yearned to see her mother again. She wanted to sail with her mother once more, she wanted to hear her teasing her father over his endless obsession with keeping the house tidy, she wanted to tell her what went down at this summer's summit. She toyed with her gold necklace, a gift from her mother that was meant for her 18th birthday. Ann never got to show her mother how she looked with the gift, and she regretted not doing enough to find her prior to the summit.

It was raining outside the countess's estate, and Ann wondered if her mother was experiencing the same gloomy weather in Corval. She dryly chuckled to herself, of course she wasn't. Corval was known for its blistering hot weather, she had heard stories about the country being more desert than stone, though whether or not this was true somehow remained a mystery to foreigners. The rain was getting heavier, and it reminded Ann of the first time she got to sail with her mother, with that particular voyage plagued with bad weather and choppy seas.

Don't let a measly challenge stop you, her mother had taught her. Ann had applied her mother's teaching to heart, with it even more so after the latter was held hostage. As the pitter-pattering of the rain grew louder, so did her doubt. Was this _really_ some simple challenge that she could easily overcome? Was she simply deluding herself? Ann cursed herself, the last thing she wanted was clarity, that she was way over her head and she should've stopped before things spiralled out of hand.

She punched the window, the window not breaking against the impact. No, Ann told herself, she couldn't afford to give up. Not when she had come so far, not when there was a way to save her mother. She might not be alive to see her mother's smile, but she was willing to take the risk. Relations between Hise and Corval would most likely tumble, and possibly Jiyel with Corval if Hong was caught. Ann decided that consequences be damned, she would stick to her goal and not let any lingering doubts get in the way.

More than anything, she yearned to have the life before Corval ripped her happy family apart.


	30. Ultimatum (Jiyel Scholar)

Hong skimmed through the letter she had received earlier, scowling at the contents the more she read. It wasn't her first time reading the letter, yet it didn't fail to sour her mood with every read she took. She knew what the letter was, and it was clearly stated by the sender. Still, Hong didn't expect her father to hand down an ultimatum to her so quickly. She expected a longer exchange, perhaps only receiving the ultimatum in her father's third letter to her. The woman read the letter again, ensuring that she had really read the content right and it wasn't a trick of the light.

_[Hong,_

_Your mother and I were very disappointed to receive your letter from Duke Lyon, and I am personally displeased to know that you wish to abandon your duty to go gallivanting the world with your 'acquaintances'. I hope that you are aware of the shame that you have brought to our family by failing to return home immediately after the summit._

_In light of your rebellious attitude in recent years, I am starting to realise that you are not the daughter your mother and I have raised. I am a fair man, and I am aware that your presence in Wellin given the address you wish for us to send letters to means that you will be attending the wedding of Crown Prince Lisle of Wellin with the woman he is matched to during the summit. However, there is an urgent need to discipline you._

_As such, I will give you an ultimatum. Return to Jiyel immediately after the wedding or else I will disown you and bar you entry in my residence. This will extend to your personal library, which is within the boundaries of my residence. Your mother and I will be looking forward to your return to Jiyel in a few weeks._

_Regards,_

_Your Father]_

Hong placed the letter onto a nearby table, half-tempted to toss it into a fire but decided against it. She understood that she had little time to decide her future, Lisle's wedding was scheduled to be held in a week after all. She sighed heavily to herself, annoyed that up till the end, a man was deciding her life for her. No matter, she had already promised Ann to help her mother escape from Corval's inner court and she wasn't one to back down from an agreement, verbal or not.

She reached out for a fresh piece of paper, dipping the provided quill into an ink bottle and proceeded to write her reply to her father. She contemplated on writing it in a spiteful manner, but ultimately decided that it was in poor taste and chose to adopt a more formal approach. Besides, she truly appreciated the love her mother had offered her throughout her 24 years of existence, and she couldn't forget the small act of sympathy her mother had shown when she was forced to get her ears pierced.

_[Dearest Father and Mother,_

_I have received the letter Father has sent in reply, and I wish to use this letter to express my gratitude towards the efforts to raise me into the woman I am today. With regards to the ultimatum mentioned in Father's letter, I regret to inform you that I have chosen to fully abandon my duty as a Jiyel woman and as your daughter. Regardless of our future relationship, I would like to wish the both of you safe and happy lives._

_\- Hong Yuneol]_

Once Hong was done with her letter, she placed it in an envelope found on the table and proceeded to write her parents' address before setting it aside. She would send the letter out first thing in the morning, there was no point finding someone to ship her letter to Jiyel at such a late hour after all. Hong stared at her ink-stained hands, wryly smiling to herself as she left her assigned bedroom in search for a sink.

_'I'm really not one to use writing gloves after all, be it as a minor noble or as a soon-to-be commoner.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to create a surname that Hong's family has but hardly uses since Hong has made her decision in this chapter.
> 
> Yuneol is a combination of cloud in Mandarin (yún) and star in Korean (byeol), both of which are Hong's hobbies.


	31. Celebration (Revaire Widow)

Weddings in Wellin were usually large and held in churches, followed by a six course meal that was meant to celebrate the newlyweds' life together but was treated as an opportunity to dine on the newlyweds' dime. Willow knew that from Lisle, but despite her best efforts, she was unable to fully prepare herself for the church wedding. She would've preferred to recite her vows in a more private setting, closer to Revaire's style. The main contributor to her discomfort was the fact that she and Hazel had stolen money from churches back when they were younger and had lesser mouths to feed. It wasn't her most pleasant memory with the church, and she had to seriously promise her husband that her siblings wouldn't attempt to steal from the church they held the wedding at.

After they had recited their vows and exchanged rings, they were allowed to attend the wedding feast they had prepared for their guests and by extension themselves. Willow observed the guests present, most of them were Wellin nobility who were invited by the king and queen. She noticed that the Countess of Holt was in attendance, as well as Ann and Hong. She wasn't sure to be worried at the their presence, given that neither of them thought to invite the pirate and the Jiyel woman. Lisle _wanted_ to invite Ann, but in light of the coming talks with Corval, he had to regretfully not invite the pirate lest it ruined the negotiations.

What truly worried her was the presence of Gisette, who she was forced to invite. Lisle had once asked her if she truly wanted to invite the princess, and she replied that she had to, given her 'debt' towards the current crown in Revaire. She was technically also forced to invite Jarrod, but thankfully for everyone present, he refused her invitation with a few choice words of his own. Willow's siblings were happily interacting with Penelope, who asked her brother if they could move in with them. Naturally, Lisle said that they could always revisit that question when he became king.

Before the dinner officially started, the guests were allowed to mingle around the large hall. Willow took this opportunity to make a beeline towards the Revaire princess, she figured that getting the obligatory greetings out of the way was necessary. Gisette had a half-smile present on her immaculate features as the bride approached, sending chills down her spine.

"Your highness, I wasn't sure if you would attend."

"Why wouldn't I? You've always been a darling even at court, the least I could to is to show up!" Willow shuddered, did that mean that the princess would've crashed her wedding if she didn't receive an invite? Willow hoped not, she didn't need any more stress than she already had. Namely, her parents landing themselves in even _more_ debt. At Lisle's coaxing, she had decided to make herself the legal guardian of her siblings who weren't of age. That way, they wouldn't have to shoulder their parents' debt any longer. "It warms my heart to see you find love."

 _'Urgh, and here I thought Her Highness couldn't get even more saccharine. This is downright disgusting, considering that we both know that Her Highness is actually frostier than Skalt's lakes...'_ Willow smiled back, stamping down her disgust at Gisette's false well-wishes. "Oh, I believe Lady Hong wishes to speak with you."

"It seems so, please do pardon me." They both curtsied, with Willow sighing in relief as the princess left the conversation. She may be equipped to deal with even the most scheming and manipulative people, but that didn't mean she liked doing so. She decided to approach the Countess of Holt, who noticeably flinched at her arrival.

"Countess, I trust that you've been well?" She sank into a polite curtsy, with the countess mimicking the action clumsily. She chuckled at the sight, relieved that the countess was still her straightforward self. "I'm relieved that you're still the same as ever."

"Uh... yay?" The countess was at a loss for words, how was she supposed to follow up to that? Willow grinned, at least she had one more Wellin resident she could count on to retain their sincerely nice self. "So um... I _might_ have brought an extra plus one. Hope that you two don't mind, she was insistent on attending."

"Of course not, it's nice to see friends again." Willow wouldn't count any of Selena's guests as friends, but they had potential. The countess heaved a sigh of relief, sneaking an extra guest in was weighing on her, and she hoped that the crown wouldn't take away their funding if they found out. "Lady Ann I can understand, but I must confess, Lady Hong being your guest is hard to believe."

"Really? She was the one who insisted to attend your wedding, I actually considered leaving her back home since this doesn't seem like her kind of scene." The countess shrugged, it was hard to believe that the introvert among the trio was the one who wanted to attend the wedding, and Willow's response was written all over her face. "Right? I suspect she's here for the free food, especially the bread!"

"I have a strong preference for fish, but I suppose Wellin bread is hard to pass up." Hong interrupted, stepping into the conversation smoothly. The countess grinned broadly at the Jiyel woman, delighted to hear a foreigner singing praises of one of the pride and joy of Wellin cuisine. "Countess, perhaps you should find Princess Penelope right now? You _did_ mention that you wanted to catch up with her."

"Oh yeah! It was nice talking to you uh..."

"Countess... please don't tell me you don't remember her name?" Hong sighed, kneeing the countess's legs so that she was forced to curtsy somewhat. Said woman winced as she was forced to curtsy in front of the bride, muttering curses as she did so. "Our sincerest apologies, Princess Willow."

"Y-Yeah! What she said Princess Widow- I mean Willow! Yep, definitely not 'widow' haha!" Hong groaned, shoving her in the direction of Penelope. Willow chuckled at the exchange, she didn't expect the aloof woman to form a friendship with the energetic countess.

"I'm surprised you didn't spend more time catching up with Princess Gisette."

"Lovely as it is to see her, it's _you_ that I require an audience with." Willow raised an eyebrow, why would Hong seek _her_ out? It wasn't as if she had much to offer, plus they both knew that when it came to morals, they were standing at slightly different points of the spectrum. "I believe that Wellin will be visiting Corval to renegotiate a trade agreement that was made a decade ago?"

"How did you- never mind, I should know better than to ask."

"Your highness, I also believe that you're well-read on Hise's tense relationship with Corval?"

"... I don't like where you're going Lady Hong, and while I know that you're a fool that likes to play with ice, I do hope that you're not one to play with vipers."

"Usually, I'm not. However, I'm duty-bound to help a... shall we say, benefactor, out from her plight?" Hong smirked, the dangerous kind that never left anyone with a warm feeling in their heart. Perhaps Selena yes, but anyone else wouldn't find it pleasant. "Also, please do drop the title."

"Since when are you so informal?"

"Ever since I had a falling out with my family, but I hardly think that's any of _your_ concern." Willow pursed her lips together, mulling over what the woman was asking of her. Anything regarding Corval was dangerous, and that danger extended to outside of the noble circle. "Anyways, I recall that you were also invited to a certain noble's cousin's wedding?"

"And how would that help you?"

"After a little research, Corval tradition allows each invited guest to a partner of their choosing. If memory serves me right, the wedding happens shortly after the renegotiation with the royal family..."

"... You want me to drag Lisle into this?! Hong, you're out of your mind! We may be both master manipulators, but I draw the line at getting others involved."

"That's a shame... but I think what would be even more of a shame is if the king and queen learn about the truth behind your widowhood." Willow flinched, she could tell that Hong truly needed her help if she was going as far as to blackmail her. She could visualise the Jiyel woman blackmailing other Revaire nobles easily, but it was made known fairly early into the summit that Willow was _not_ one to be messed with. "If the truth doesn't appeal to you, I could always tell them about your husband's preference towards-"

"Enough. I... I will have to consult Lisle about your... _personal_ issue. Also... you do realise that you would be owing us a huge favour if we do grant you permission?" Willow had to carefully parcel her words now, she didn't know who could be listening in to their conversation. She was aware that Hong's bluntness was a deliberate move on her part, by brandishing her hand to an unplanned audience, she had forced Willow to acknowledge the request lest she embarrassed herself and possibly Lisle in front of everyone. "... I knew that you were a fool, but not to this extent."

"Are we all not fools in this game we call life?"

"We certainly are, but again, _you're_ the biggest fool among them all given your fondness with ice."

"Perhaps. I'll be residing with Countess Selena for a few weeks, but I trust that you'll get in touch with me at your earliest convenience?" Hong ended the conversation the moment guests started to take their seats as dinner began, leaving Willow to make her rounds as the bride. The latter sighed, just when she thought that she had _finally_ figured the Jiyel woman out, she was surprised yet again.

_'... I wonder what is so important to her that she's willing to risk her life over? Certainly not her acquaintanceship with Lady Ann... Why did I promise her that I'll at least consult with Lisle?'_


End file.
